Environmental Microbiology &

Chemistry

CEB 20303

Dr. Amelia Md Som

2.0 Environmental Chemistry

ACID BASE
 Objectives

1) Study nature of acids and bases

2) Familiarize with concept of monoprotic
and polyprotic acids
3) Learn how to calculate pH
4) Understand concept of buffers and acid-
base titration
 ACID
In order to study acid-base reactions we have to understand the
nature of acids and bases
Acids were first reckognized as a class of substances
that taste sour.
 Vinegar tastes sour because it is a dilute
solution of acetic acid.

 Hydrochloric acid with enzyme

pepsin is responsible for our food
digestion

 Citric acid is responsible for the sour taste of

a lemon
 BASE

Bases, sometimes called alkalis, are characterized

by their bitter taste and slippery feel.

Some commercial preparations for unclogging

drains are highly basic.
 ACID BASE REACTION

Estimated change in sea water pH caused by human created CO2 between the
1700s and the 1990s,
 TYPE OF ACIDS

Most acids are oxyacids, in which the H+ is attached to an

oxygen atom:
• H2SO4(aq)
• HNO3(aq)
• HClO4(aq)
• H2CO3(aq)
• H3PO4(aq)
• HNO2(aq)
• HOCl(aq).
 TYPE OF ACIDS
Organic acids, those with a carbon atom backbone,
commonly contain the carboxyl group COOH:
• Acetic acid [CH3COOH(aq)]

• Benzoic acid [C6H5COOH(aq)]

• Citric acid [C5H7O5COOH(aq)]

 TYPE OF ACIDS
Monoprotic acids are acids with one acidic proton.
• HNO3(aq)
• HClO4(aq)
• HCl(aq)
• HNO3(aq)
• HNO2(aq)
• HPO42-(aq)
• HSO4-(aq)
• Acetic acid [CH3COOH(aq)]
• Benzoic acid [C6H5COOH(aq)]
• Citric acid [C5H7O5COOH(aq)]
 TYPE OF ACIDS
Diprotic acids are acids with two acidic protons:
• H2SO4(aq)
• H2PO4-(aq)
• H2CO3(aq)

Triprotic acids are acids with three acidic protons:

• H3PO4(aq)
• H3AsO4(aq)
Arrhenius Acid 1884
 BRONSTEAD-LOWRY 1923
• Bronsted-Lowry acids are molecules that can donate
a hydride ion, H+

• Bronsted-Lowry bases are molecules that can accept

a hydride, H+ ion using a lone pair of electron

NH3(aq) + H2O(l) NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq)

 LEWIS 1938
• Lewis Acid is anything that accept a pair of
electrons to form a new bond
• Lewis Base is anything that donate a pair of
electron to form a new bond
NH3 + BF3  NH3-BF3
 ACID BASE

Hydrogen Hydrogen
ditcher!! acceptor

H2CO3 + OH- HCO3- + H20

ACID BASE CONJUGATE BASE CONJUGATE ACID

Generally the stronger the acid or base, the weaker the conjugate. The weaker
the acid or base, the stronger the conjugate. But there are exception!!!
 Name the pair….

S2- + HCO3- HS- + CO32-

BASE ACID CONJUGATE ACID CONJUGATE BASE

H2O(l) + NH3(aq) NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq)

ACID BASE CONJUGATE ACID CONJUGATE BASE
 What is a strong acid?
HA H + + A-
A strong acid will 100% de-ionised in water

+ −
H [A ]
𝐴𝑐𝑖𝑑 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡, 𝐾𝑎 =
HA
pKa = - log10Ka
 How to calculate the pH of
Monoprotic Strong Acid
Strong Acid such as HCL, HBr, HNO3, HCLO4

What is the pH of 0.1M HCL

HCL + H2O  H3O+ + CL-
[HCL] = [H3O+]
pH = -log[H3O+] = -log [0.1] = 1
How to calculate the pH of
Weak Acid
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2sqOiVwQdI
 Polyprotic acids always dissociate in a stepwise
manner, one proton at a time.

Example 1. Carbonic acid (diprotic),

CO2 + H2O H2CO3 H+ + HCO3-

H 2CO3 aq   H  aq   HCO3 aq  K a1 

H HCO   4.3 10
 
3 7

H 2CO3 
HCO3 aq   H  aq   CO32 aq  K a2 
H CO 
 2
 5.6 10 11

HCO 
3

3
 Values of Ka for some common
polyprotic acids
Name Formula Ka1 Ka2 Ka3

Phosphoric acid H3PO4 7.5 x 10-3 6.2 x 10-8 4.8 x 10-13

Arsenic acid H3AsO4 5 x 10-3 8 x 10-8 6 x 10-10
Carbonic acid H2CO3 4.3 x 10-7 5.6 x 10-11
Sulfuric acid H2SO4 Large 1.2 x 10-2
Sulfurous acid H2SO3 1.5 x 10-2 1.0 x 10-7
Hydrosulfuric acid* H2S 1.0 x 10-7 ≈ x 10-19
Oxalic acid H2C2O4 6.5 x 10-2 6.1 x 10-5
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) H2C6H6O6 7.9 x 10-5 1.6 x 10-12
*The Ka2 value for H2S is quite uncertain. Its small size makes it very difficult to measure.
Calculating the pH of Polyprotic Acids
For a typical weak polyprotic acid,

Ka1 > Ka2 > Ka3

These values indicate that the loss of a 2nd or 3rd

proton occurs less readily than the loss of the first
proton.
This result is not surprising; the greater the
negative charge on the acid, the more difficult it
becomes to remove the positively charged proton.
 How to calculate the pH of diprotic Strong Acid
Name Formula Ka1 Ka2 Ka3

Sulfuric acid H2SO4 Large 1.2 x 10-2

What is the pH of 0.1M H2SO4

(1) H2SO4 + H2O H3O+ + HSO4-
[H2SO4] = [H3O+] = 0.1
(2) HSO4- + H2O H3O+ + SO4-
HSO4- SO4- H3O+
Ka = 1.2 x 10-2 = [H3O+][SO4-] I 0.1 0 0
[HSO4-] -x +x +x
C
E 0.1-x x x
[x][x] [x]2
1.2 x 10-2 =
[0.1-x] = [0.1-x]
X2 + 1.2x10-2x - 1.2x10-2= 0
X =0.10338 pH = -log[H3O+] = -log [0.1+0.103] = 0.69
 Example. Phosphoric acid (triprotic) dissociates in
the following steps:

What is the pH of 0.1M H3PO4

H 3 PO4 aq   H  aq   H 2 PO4 aq  K a1 

H H PO 

2

 7.5 10
4 3

H 2CO3 
H 2 PO4 aq   H  aq   HPO42 aq  K a2 
H HPO 
 2
 6.2 10 8

H PO 
4

2 4

2
aq   H aq   PO aq 
 3

 H PO 
 3
 4.8 10 13

HPO 
4
HPO 4 4 K a3 2
4
 BUFFER SOLUTION
SOLUTION THAT RESIST CHANGES IN pH WHEN
ACID OR BASE ARE ADDED
(1)

Example of usage:
Blood only function at pH 7.35 -7.45

BUFFER CONSIST OF WEAK ACID AND ITS

CONJUGATE BASE SALT
How to Calculate Buffer
 How to calculate the pH of Buffer
What is the pH of 100 ml 0.1M CH3COOH and NaOH Buffer Solution
Acid Base Salt Water

CH3COOH + NaOH  CH3COONa + H2O

M= mol 100 ml = 0.1L 0.05g 0.00125 mol
L 0.1 M m.w =40
0.01 mol 0.00125 mol
There will be excess CH3COOH that has not reacted with NaOH
(0.01 - 0.00125 = 0.00875 mol of CH3COOH )
CH3COOH + H2O ⇌ CH3COO- + H3O+ Common ion
0.00875 mol
100 ml 0.00125 mol effect
100 ml
0.0875M
0.0125 M
CH3COOH CH3COO- H3O+
Ka = 1.76 x 10-5
I 0. 0875 0.0125 0
C -x +x +x
E 0.0875-x 0.0125+x x
 CH3COOH + H2O ⇌ CH3COO- + H3O+
O+][CH3COO-]
Ka = [H3 CH3COOH CH3COO- H3O+
[CH3COOH] I 0. 0875 0.0125 0
C -x +x +x
Ka = 1.76 x 10-5
E 0.0875-x 0.0125+x x
Ka = 1.76 x 10-5 = [H3O+][CH3COO-]
[CH3COOH]
[x][0.0125+x] [0.0125x + x2]
1.76 x 10-5 = =
[0.0875-x] [0.0875 - x]

[1.76 x 10-5] [0.0875 – x] = [0.0125x + x2]

[1.54 x 10-6 – 1.54 x 10-6x] = [0.0125x + x2]

[x2 + 0.012502x - 1.54 x 10-6 ] = 0
−𝑏± 𝑏2 −4𝑎𝑐 pH = -log [H3O+] = -log [0.000121]
𝑥= = 0.000121989957625855 = 3.91
2𝑎
OR Use Henderson-Hasselbalch CH3COOH CH3COO- H3O+

Equation I 0. 0875 0.0125 0

C -x +x +x
E 0.0875-x 0.0125+x x

Conjugate base

Acid

= -logKa + log 0.0125 15

Buffer
0.0875

pH Value
10 Region
= -log 1.76 x 10-5 + log 0.1428
= 4.7545 + (-0.8451) 5
= 3.909
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6
NaOH, g
 How to calculate the pH of Buffer
What is the pH of 100 ml 0.1M CH3COOH and NaOH Buffer Solution
Acid Base Salt Water

CH3COOH + NaOH  CH3COONa + H2O

100 ml 0.10g 0.0025 mol
0.1 M m.w =40
0.01 mol 0.0025 mol
There will be excess CH3COOH that has not reacted with NaOH
(0.01 - 0.0025 = 0.0075 mol of CH3COOH )
CH3COOH + H2O ⇌ CH3COO- + H3O+
0.0075 mol
100 ml 0.0025 mol
0.075M 100 ml
0.025 M
Ka = 1.76 x 10-5
= -logKa + log 0.025M
0.075M
= -log 1.76 x 10-5 + log 0.1428
= 4.7545 + (-0.4771)
= 4.2773
 How to calculate the pH of Buffer
What is the pH of 100 ml 0.1M CH3COOH and NaOH Buffer Solution
Acid Base Salt Water

CH3COOH + NaOH  CH3COONa + H2O

100 ml 0.40g 0.01 mol
0.1 M m.w =40
0.01 mol 0.01 mol

Not in buffer region

CH3COONa + H2O ⇌ CH3COOH + OH-

0.01 mol
Kb = [CH3COOH][OH-]
100ml =0.1L [CH3COO -]
0.1M Ka = 1.76 x 10-5
Kb = Kw / Ka
Kb = 1 x 10-14
Take out all
metallic ion from
Ka
calculations = 1 x 10-14 = 5.68 x 10-10
1.76 x 10-5
 0.1M
CH3COO- + H2O ⇌ CH3COOH + OH-
CH3COO - CH3COOH OH-
I 0.1 0 0
C -X +X +X
E 0.1-X X X
Kb = 5.68 x 10-10 = [CH3COOH][OH-]
[CH3COO -]
= [x][x]
[0.1-x]
5.68 x 10-10 [0.1-x] = [x]2
5.68 x 10-10(0.1) - 5.68 x 10-10 x = x2
x2 + 5.68 x 10-10x - 5.68 x 10-11 = 0
a = 1; b = 5.68 x 10-10; c = -5.68 x 10-11
−𝑏± 𝑏2 −4𝑎𝑐
𝑥= = 7.54 x 10-6 = [OH-]
2𝑎
Continue……..

−𝑏± 𝑏2 −4𝑎𝑐
𝑥= = 7.54 x 10-6 = [OH-]
2𝑎

[H+][OH-] = 1 x 10-14

[H+] = 1 x 10-14
7.54 x 10-6

-log [H+] = -log [1.33 x 10-9] = 8.877